60s Away To Woodnesborough Reds - Match Report

This was always going to be a tough fixture. Woodnesborough Reds had seen an influx of players that last year had done so well with their 50s Senior side and we knew we needed to be on our top form to be able to take something from this top of the table clash.

Unfortunately, it was Woodnesborough that started the brighter of the two teams. We had an early indication of their intention when the ball was played through to their striker whose swift turn and shot went just wide. This was pulled back for him having not walked but it showed how they were going to attack.

Within minutes a similar ball was played through the midfield and up to the striker. He rolled our defender and then hit a low hard shot passed Steve in our goal to give them the lead.

We tried to go one on one with the Woodnesborough playmaker but this wasn't working. He was still able to see plenty of the ball and we were chasing shadows. We had flooded the midfield with a view of trying to cut out the supply to their striker but he was still seeing plenty of the ball and within minutes they had doubled their lead.

We now looked shell shocked and devoid of ideas. We kicked off, lost the ball and 3 touches later te ball was back in our net. Less than 10 minutes on the clock and we were already 3 nil down.

A change was made and we pushed Shaun further forward in an attempt to give their defence something to think about rather than just allowing their players to have the ball unpressured. We made a change and brought on Andy to replace Colin who appeared to be struggling. This gave us a little bit of a respite and we started to get some penetration going forward but Woodnesborough still looked comfortable.

Just as we looked as though we were finally settling into the game, we gave the ball away cheaply in midfield and they moved the ball swiftly forward and got off a low shot. Steve E got down quickly but saw the ball squirm agonisingly under his body and trickle over the line.

Steve was equally unlucky right at the end of the half when he seemed to have parried a shot well to see the ball bounce and spin back passed him and in off the post.

That was the last real action of the first half and saw us going in 5 goals behind and looking extremely deflated.

We needed to stop the ball through the middle and start to play our football. We had probably given Woodnesborough too much respect and the scoreline reflected our poor performance albeit they had been the stronger team through the first 20 minutes.

With pride at stake, we came out for the second half with a view of taking the game to Woodnesborough. We maintained our 1:3:1 formation but started to play them at their own game. We started to move the ball straight through the middle to Shaun with John R, Rob and Andy supporting and overlapping from midfield.

We started to give Woodnesborough problems and they were now having to turn and follow us when we came forward. They were still seeing plenty of possession but we had cut out the ball through the middle and forced them to come up the flanks where we seemed better able to defend.

We won a ball at the back and swift interplay between Den and John R saw us moving forward. John R played a ball through the right channel which Rob moved onto and his low shot went across their keeper and into the net.

We were now in the ascendency and were playing the better football. We weren't sitting as deep and our defensive line was now up at half way rather than being camped at the edge of our own box.

We were now creating chances and getting shots away. Andy, Rob and John R all saw shots go just wide and Shaun came close with their keeper pulling off a good save to deny him doubling our tally. Woodnesborough remained a threat and had chances of their own but our defence held out with Steve E pulling off a couple of good saves.

The remainder of the game saw the ball staying in the middle third with no further goal mouth incidents. The game finished Woodnesborough Reds 5 - 1 Canterbury Mariners 60s.

My thanks to the match day squad that picked themselves up after the mauling that was the first half and can take pride in winning the second.

My special thanks to the supporters that turned up and saw a game of the proverbial two halves.

Congratulations to John R who was our Player Of The Match.

Paul